


Forgiveness in the wake of nightmares

by thewaywardwriter



Series: Friendship, Hope and Card Games [3]
Category: Yu-Gi-Oh!, Yu-Gi-Oh! Series
Genre: Gen, Post - Seal of Orichalcos, Post-Canon, Seal of Orichalcos, Self-Acceptance, Self-Reflection, Slice of Life
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-09
Updated: 2018-08-09
Packaged: 2019-06-24 03:26:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 484
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15621519
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thewaywardwriter/pseuds/thewaywardwriter
Summary: “They’re just worried,” his partner says, “They love you. They love us.”But the Pharoah can only shut his eyes in despair. The dreams still linger, and his magicians still turn on him, their eyes twisted with anger.The Seal of Orichalcos has caused them much pain, and as much as the spirit wants to hold his cards again with confidence, he is unsure if they will forgive him for what he's done.





	Forgiveness in the wake of nightmares

It takes the Pharoah too long to pick up the cards he loves so much outside of a duel. The Orichalcos ordeal has done a number on them and while he still trusts in the hearts of his cards and friends, it still pains him to think of what he’s done.

“They’re not angry with you,” Yuugi tells him the first time he wakes in his partner’s body, screaming and sweating away the nightmares.

“They’re just worried,” his partner continues, “They love you. They love _us.”_

The pharaoh shuts his eyes in despair, but the dreams linger – his magicians still turn against him, their features twisted with anger.

“Pharoah?” Yuugi wonders and the spirit looks up at him with a sigh.

“I’m – I’m sorry. I –“

His partner only smiles down at him as he says, “Would you like to talk to them? I’m sure they’d like to see you.”

The idea shakes him momentarily. What on earth would they say?

 

What on earth would _he_ say?

 

I’m sorry?

 

Would that cut it?

 

The only way to find out – is to ask, the pharaoh realizes, so he nods his consent, retreats into the puzzle and lets Yugi take control.

There is a muffled echo that is Yugi speaking to his cards, but the spirit has already plunged himself deep into the maze, trying to shake the memories away.

 He is deep in meditation when the Kuriboh coos its affection at him.

The spirit opens his eyes to the sense of having a blanket being pulled over his body and there is a flash of pink as the Dark Magician Girl shifts into focus.

“You’re back!” she cries and her joy is so piercingly overwhelming that the Pharoah goes cold with his sorrow and regret.

“We were so worried!”

“Th – thank you,” he starts and then – “I’m sorry, I’m – I have no excuse for what I’ve done.”

“Oh,” the Dark Magician Girl says serenely as she smiles at him, “You were forgiven long ago, my Pharaoh.”

“Forgiven - !?” the Pharoah starts in shock, “But I treated you all like _objects!_ Like you were all nothing but _tools_ at my _disposal!_ You are _indispensable_ to me.  _All_ of you. I would – I _will never_ treat you all like that again.”

“We know,” says another, familiar voice. The Dark Magician floats up next to his apprentice, pressing a comforting hand on her shoulder, “And you are _forgiven,_ my Pharoah.”

“We will follow you until the end of _time,_ ” Dark Magician girl says lovingly as she reaches out to brush his bangs out of his face, “You know that.”

“Yes,” the spirit says as he feels tears begin to run down his cheeks, “Yes, I know.”

Next to him, the Kuriboh begins to coo louder as it rubs itself affectionately into his shoulder. Chuckling, the Pharoah presses a shaking hand to its head.

“Thank you – thank you all for everything.”


End file.
